It is rare that the issue of racial reconciliation is attached to salvation.  Many times, the issues of race are only discussed from a legal or political perspective, but in our text there is a direct correlation between salvation and racial reconciliation.

It appears at times that there are those among us who proclaim salvation, going to heaven after death with shouts of praise and hallelujah, is separated from how we treat others who are different from us racially.  But in Paul’s writing, he shows a direct link between racial harmony and salvation. I further submit that, in line with Paul’s words, there can be no racial reconciliation until there is a Jesus experience.

First, we must confess the evil within us. The old saying “confession is good for the soul” is still true. We must own up to the hatred that is within us, and not only own up to it, we must be willing to let it go and allow God to remove it. We must be willing to confess that hating someone strictly because they are of a different race than we are is as evil as adultery, stealing, or murdering. We must realize that hate separates us from God, and that separation denies us the blessings He has in store.  As we confess and seek forgiveness for our other sins, we must also seek forgiveness for racial hatred.

Secondly, belief in Jesus Christ brings a heart change. In 1964, during the debate over the Civil Rights Act, one of our senators stated that “we cannot legislate feelings from the heart.” How right he was, and though the 1964 legislation mandated many changes which have had some positive results, we must admit that there are still underlying problems which remain today.

I am convinced these underlying issues can only be resolved when we fully surrender our lives to Jesus Christ. The hymn writer states: “what a wonderful change in my life has been wrought, since Jesus came into my heart. I have light in my soul for which long I have sought, since Jesus came into my heart. Since Jesus came into my heart, floods of joy o’er my soul like the sea billows roll.” When Jesus comes into our hearts and is really there, we can experience the joy of loving and accepting all people.

Finally, accepting Jesus Christ as Lord helps us understand love and reconciliation. The whole idea of salvation is understanding the events of Calvary. It was there that God accepted the sacrifice offered for our sins. It was there through Jesus that God became able to see beyond our faults. God was able to do this because of the love He has for us. When we fully understand that love, and that love grows and matures within us, then we cannot help but reconcile ourselves to each other. If God through Calvary pardons, accepts, and loves us, then when that love flourishes within us, we will find ourselves looking beyond other people’s color, where they came from, and where they live, and embrace them as we were embraced at Calvary.

Whenever I think of social reconciliation and the effort we all have to make to bring it to reality, I am reminded of a gathering that occurred some years ago in a city where I was a pastor. 

A group of progressive ministers, black and white, came together to organize a group called CLIFF (Clergy Living in Faith and Fellowship). We came together because we were concerned about race relations in that city, and the evident worsening of the divide.

As usually is the case, the public schools in that area reflected the ever-growing social divisions. From what I hear, it is not much better now. Nevertheless, about 10 or 15 of us came together not only to pray about the situation, but also publicly to express our opposition to what the school board was doing to perpetuate the social disharmony in the community.

CLIFF had several meetings and several of us exchanged worship services. What was unique about this was that we did not have these exchanges in the afternoons or on Wednesday nights. These pulpit exchanges occurred on Sunday mornings at 11:00 a.m.

I remember vividly the first Sunday we did this. The pastor of the United Methodist Church and his choir were coming to our African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, and I and my choir were going to the United Methodist Church. I must admit both pastors and choirs were jittery, but we had to demonstrate what we preached and sang about. The exchange went very well, both congregations enjoyed it. We came together after church and had dinner together. I understand this exchange still occurs annually. Those of us who stand in pulpits must take the lead in bringing people together.

During our meetings as members of CLIFF, we discovered something really scary that many of us hate to face but is a reality.  We discovered that even as progressive and loving as we were, we had some deep seated racist issues within us that had been unconsciously nurtured and grown through the years. Conversion education and life experiences had helped us shift those racist notions to the point where we could attempt to build bridges, but the tendencies were still there.  It was frightening to have to face this, but we did. We also concluded that we could not lead in healing if we were sick and diseased ourselves.

We decided to bring in Doug Tanner, a nationally known leader in facilitating groups in social reconciliation.  We spent a full day openly confessing our social sins and shortcomings.  During that session we got angry, we talked harshly, we aired our feelings, but at the end, our bond was closer than before. This “Come to Jesus Meeting,” as we called it, started us on the road to healing. As a result of our own healing, we could better lead our congregations toward social reconciliation.

Several years have passed since that retreat, and several of us have gone to other fields of endeavor. However, the bond that we established that day has continued. It has also helped us build relationships in other cities.

As clergy persons, maybe more of us need to search ourselves and be honest with what is really inside each of us so that we can more effectively lead others to social reconciliation. Sometimes it is good for us to look back at Calvary and experience the wonderful, refreshing power of God demonstrated there.

By Rev. Joseph Brown, Sr., Presiding Elder, Dunn-Lillington District, A.M.E. Zion Church, Fayetteville, NC